A quaternary ammonium group-grafted cation resin and a preparation method thereof are provided. The preparation method includes: adding a chloromethylated cross-linked polystyrene (PS) resin, trimethylamine hydrochloride, and a 20% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution successively to a reactor for a reaction under stirring at 30° C. to 40° C.; filtering a resulting reaction solution, followed by washing and drying to obtain a quaternary ammonium group-grafted resin; adding the quaternary ammonium group-grafted resin, 1,2-dichloroethane, silver sulfate, concentrated sulfuric acid, and fuming sulfuric acid successively for a reaction for 1 hour at 50° C. to 60° C., a reaction for 1 hour at 70° C. to 80° C., and a reaction for 5 hours at 115° C. to 125° C.; and cooling a resulting reaction solution to room temperature, followed by diluting, filtering, washing and drying to obtain the quaternary ammonium group-grafted cation resin.

The present invention includes compositions, methods, and methods of making and using a nanoscale discoidal membrane comprising: an amphiphilic membrane patch comprising self-assembled molecular amphiphiles capable of supporting one or more membrane proteins in the amphiphilic membrane patch; and one or more amphipathic scaffold macromolecules that encase the nanoscale discoidal membrane.

The present invention includes compositions, methods, and methods of making and using a nanoscale discoidal membrane comprising: an amphiphilic membrane patch comprising self-assembled molecular amphiphiles capable of supporting one or more membrane proteins in the amphiphilic membrane patch; and one or more amphipathic scaffold macromolecules that encase the nanoscale discoidal membrane.

An olefin-carboxylic acid copolymer, containing at least one free carboxylic acid side group, or a nitrogen compound quaternized with epoxide in the presence of an olefin-carboxylic acid copolymer, containing at least one free carboxylic acid side group, can be used as a fuel additive or lubricant additive. Processes can be used for preparing additives of this kind and fuels and lubricants additized therewith, such as a detergent additive. These additives, fuels, and lubricants can be used for reduction or prevention of deposits in injection systems of direct injection diesel engines, especially in common rail injection systems; for reduction of fuel consumption of direct injection diesel engines, especially of diesel engines with common rail injection systems; and for minimization of power loss in direct injection diesel engines, especially in diesel engines with common rail injection systems. The additives can also be used for gasoline fuels, especially for operation of DISI engines.

An olefin-carboxylic acid copolymer, containing at least one free carboxylic acid side group, or a nitrogen compound quaternized with epoxide in the presence of an olefin-carboxylic acid copolymer, containing at least one free carboxylic acid side group, can be used as a fuel additive or lubricant additive. Processes can be used for preparing additives of this kind and fuels and lubricants additized therewith, such as a detergent additive. These additives, fuels, and lubricants can be used for reduction or prevention of deposits in injection systems of direct injection diesel engines, especially in common rail injection systems; for reduction of fuel consumption of direct injection diesel engines, especially of diesel engines with common rail injection systems; and for minimization of power loss in direct injection diesel engines, especially in diesel engines with common rail injection systems. The additives can also be used for gasoline fuels, especially for operation of DISI engines.

The copolymer of the present disclosure comprises a first structural unit represented by Formula (1) and a second structural unit represented by Formula (2). In Formula (1), R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbons. x1 is an integer of 1 to 4.

In Formula (2), R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbons. x2 is an integer of 1 to 4, and y is an integer of 3 to 7.

The copolymer of the present disclosure comprises a first structural unit represented by Formula (1) and a second structural unit represented by Formula (2). In Formula (1), R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbons. x1 is an integer of 1 to 4.

In Formula (2), R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbons. x2 is an integer of 1 to 4, and y is an integer of 3 to 7.

An anion exchange membrane is composed of a copolymer of 1,1-diphenylethylene and one or more styrene monomers, such as 4-tert-butylstyrene. The copolymer includes a backbone substituted with a plurality of ionic groups coupled to phenyl groups on the backbone via hydrocarbyl tethers between about 1 and about 7 carbons in length. High-temperature conditions enabled by these copolymers enhance conductivity performance, making them particularly suitable for use in anion exchange membranes in fuel cells, electrolyzers employing hydrogen, ion separations, etc. The properties of the membranes can be tuned via the degree of functionalization of the phenyl groups and selection of the functional groups, such as quaternary ammonium groups. Several processes can be used to incorporate the desired ionic functional groups into the polymers, such as chloromethylation, radical bromination, Friedel-Crafts acylation and alkylation, sulfonation followed by amination, or combinations thereof.

An anion exchange membrane is composed of a copolymer of 1,1-diphenylethylene and one or more styrene monomers, such as 4-tert-butylstyrene. The copolymer includes a backbone substituted with a plurality of ionic groups coupled to phenyl groups on the backbone via hydrocarbyl tethers between about 1 and about 7 carbons in length. High-temperature conditions enabled by these copolymers enhance conductivity performance, making them particularly suitable for use in anion exchange membranes in fuel cells, electrolyzers employing hydrogen, ion separations, etc. The properties of the membranes can be tuned via the degree of functionalization of the phenyl groups and selection of the functional groups, such as quaternary ammonium groups. Several processes can be used to incorporate the desired ionic functional groups into the polymers, such as chloromethylation, radical bromination, Friedel-Crafts acylation and alkylation, sulfonation followed by amination, or combinations thereof.

A method of producing a powder mass for a lithium battery, the method comprising: (a) providing a solution containing a sulfonated elastomer dissolved in a solvent or a precursor in a liquid form or dissolved in a solvent; (b) dispersing a plurality of particles of a cathode active material in the solution to form a slurry; and (c) dispensing the slurry and removing the solvent and/or polymerizing/curing the precursor to form the powder mass, wherein the powder mass comprises multiple particulates and at least a particulate comprises one or a plurality of particles of a cathode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of sulfonated elastomer having a thickness from 1 nm to 10 μm, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 800%, and a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.−7 S/cm to 5×10.sup.−2 S/cm at room temperature.